Evite Beverage Calculator
Plan drinks for any celebration with precision. Estimate beer, wine, cocktails, water, and soft drinks based on guest count, event duration, and preferences. Perfect for weddings, birthdays, BBQs, and corporate events.
Evite Beverage Calculator
Estimate how many drinks to buy for your event — personalized to guests, duration, and preferences.
Adjust serving sizes and preference splits to match your crowd.
Preference splits
Preference splits should total 100%Serving sizes
Bottle/package assumptions
Your beverage plan
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Total servings needed
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Guests
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Duration
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Non-alcoholic
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Alcoholic
Shopping List
| Category | Servings | Volume | Packages | Notes |
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Per-Hour Timeline
| Hour | Servings | Notes |
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How It Works
The Evite Beverage Calculator uses a straightforward approach to estimate drink quantities for any event. The core formula combines guest count, event duration, and consumption rates to deliver accurate beverage planning.
Total Servings Formula:
\( \text{TotalServings} = \text{ServingsPerHour} \times \text{DurationHours} \)
Where ServingsPerHour is calculated from your guest mix:
\( \text{ServingsPerHour} = \sum (N_{\text{group}} \times \text{DPPH}_{\text{group}}) \)
Each drink category is allocated based on your preference splits:
\( \text{CategoryServings}_i = \text{TotalServings} \times \text{Split}_i \)
Finally, a waste buffer ensures you have enough supplies:
\( \text{WithBuffer} = \text{CategoryServings} \times (1 + \text{Buffer}) \)
Example Calculation
For 20 guests over 4 hours with a standard mix (20% non-drinkers, 40% light, 30% regular, 10% moderate), assuming 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 drinks per hour respectively:
- Non-drinkers: 4 guests × 0.5 = 2 servings/hour
- Light: 8 guests × 0.5 = 4 servings/hour
- Regular: 6 guests × 1.0 = 6 servings/hour
- Moderate: 2 guests × 1.5 = 3 servings/hour
- Total per hour: 15 servings
- Total for 4 hours: 60 servings
- With 10% buffer: 66 servings
Tips for a Smoother Event
- Prioritize water: Always provide ample water, especially for outdoor or hot-weather events. Hydration keeps guests comfortable and healthy.
- Label clearly: Use signs or labels to identify drink stations, including which beverages contain alcohol.
- Keep extras: The waste buffer accounts for spillage, larger pours, and unexpected guests. It's better to have surplus than run short.
- Consider weather: Hot days increase beverage consumption by 20-30%. Adjust your estimates accordingly.
- Timing matters: Guests drink more in the first and middle hours. The timeline feature helps you manage supply flow.
- Offer variety: Mix alcoholic and non-alcoholic options to accommodate all preferences and encourage responsible drinking.
- Ice is essential: Plan for 1-2 lbs of ice per guest for chilling and serving drinks.
- Mixers and garnishes: If serving cocktails, stock tonic, soda, juice, bitters, and garnishes like lemon, lime, and mint.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many drinks per person should I plan for a party?
On average, plan for 1-2 drinks per person per hour for mixed crowds. Light drinkers consume around 0.5 drinks/hour, regular drinkers 1 drink/hour, and moderate drinkers 1.5 drinks/hour. Adjust based on your guest mix and event style.
How much alcohol do I need for 50 guests?
For a 4-hour event with 50 guests and a standard mix, expect around 150-200 total servings (including non-alcoholic). If 60% of servings are alcoholic, that's roughly 90-120 alcoholic drinks—approximately 8-10 wine bottles, 2-3 cases of beer, and 1-2 spirits bottles, depending on preferences.
What is a waste buffer and why do I need it?
A waste buffer (typically 10-15%) accounts for spillage, extra-large pours, unexpected guests, and miscalculations. It ensures you don't run out of drinks mid-event, which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable for hosts and guests.
Should I adjust drink quantities based on event duration?
Yes. Consumption isn't linear—guests drink more in the first few hours and taper off later. Short events (1-2 hours) may see higher per-hour rates, while longer events (5+ hours) often see reduced consumption in later hours.
How does a dry event differ in beverage planning?
Dry events serve only non-alcoholic beverages. You'll need more water, soft drinks, juice, and coffee/tea to compensate. Expect similar total serving counts, but redistribute quantities entirely to non-alcoholic categories.
What are standard serving sizes for beer, wine, and cocktails?
Standard servings are 12 oz (330-350 ml) for beer, 5 oz (150 ml) for wine, and 1.5 oz (45 ml) of spirits per cocktail. These sizes align with responsible drinking guidelines and industry norms.
How much ice do I need for a party?
Plan for 1-2 lbs of ice per guest. Outdoor or hot-weather events may require more. Ice is used for chilling drinks, filling coolers, and serving over ice in glasses.
What does BYOB mean for drink planning?
BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle/Beverage) means guests supply their own alcohol. As a host, you still provide non-alcoholic drinks, mixers, ice, and glassware. Estimate non-alcoholic beverages and mixers as if planning for the full guest count.
Can I export my shopping list?
Yes! Click "Export as CSV" to download a detailed shopping list with quantities, volumes, and package counts. You can open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app. The "Print-friendly version" button formats the page for easy printing.
Does weather really affect how much people drink?
Absolutely. Hot outdoor events can increase beverage consumption by 20-40%, especially for water and cold drinks. Cold-weather events may see increased coffee/tea and warm beverage requests. Adjust your estimates accordingly.
About This Calculator
The Evite Beverage Calculator was created by OmniCalculator.Space to help hosts, event planners, families, and businesses plan drinks with confidence. Whether you're organizing a wedding, birthday party, corporate event, or casual BBQ, accurate beverage planning reduces waste, saves money, and ensures every guest is refreshed.
Our calculator combines hospitality best practices, industry serving standards, and real-world event planning experience. All calculations happen in your browser—no data is collected or stored unless you enable the "Remember my inputs" feature, which uses local browser storage only.
For more lifestyle and event planning tools, visit OmniCalculator.Space. Explore calculators for party planning, food quantities, and event budgeting.
Responsible Drinking
This calculator is an educational tool designed to help with event planning. Actual beverage needs vary based on individual guest preferences, food availability, weather conditions, and event atmosphere. Always prioritize guest safety and well-being.
We encourage hosts to:
- Offer abundant non-alcoholic options alongside alcoholic beverages
- Provide food throughout the event to slow alcohol absorption
- Monitor guest consumption and intervene if necessary
- Arrange safe transportation options (designated drivers, rideshare, taxis)
- Never pressure guests to drink alcohol
- Respect local laws regarding alcohol service and consumption
For more information on responsible drinking, visit National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism or consult local health authorities.
